The competition grew while naval aviation was still developing and the Regia Marina lacked direct control of its own air arm. Italy's lightly protected Condottieri cruisers encouraged France to build large, heavily armed contre-torpilleurs that could threaten them. Six ships of the Le Fantasque class and two Mogador-class destroyers represented the French side of this speed-and-firepower competition. The British Tribal class provides a wartime comparison for how powerful destroyers could defeat vulnerable light cruisers. Italy's answer was another fast ship built around offensive power rather than protection. These reciprocal French and Italian design choices produced a vessel that sat awkwardly between cruiser and destroyer categories.
Chapter · 5:28-7:39
The Franco-Italian race for faster scouts and destroyers
Six Le Fantasque-class destroyers and two Mogador-class ships exposed the vulnerability of Italy's early Condottieri cruisers and encouraged a faster Italian answer.